Bethyl One Shots
by orayofsunshine
Summary: A place for me to shove all my Bethyl one shots. (I know isn't it such a creative title)
1. Friends

**A/N: Hi, so this idea has been bouncing around in my head for a while, so today I decided to neglect all of my school work and write this. Inspired by "Friends" by Ed Sheeran. (Seriously Ive listened to it a billion times today while writing this) Anyways, I hope yall like this, drop me a review if you do! **

_We're not, no we're not friends, nor have we ever been._

It had been a few days since they had found Beth in the hospital, fighting walkers like it was her job. The sight alone of little Beth Greene, covered in blood and brains, slashing and stabbing the undead was enough to shock Rick, Maggie and Glenn. For a half second, they just stood in the hallway, watching her fight alongside others in dingy blue scrubs until Daryl bolted past them, hunting knife up and ready. Everyone else broke out of their shock induced trance, leaping into action. Sometime after they started fighting the seemingly endless stream of walkers, Rick glanced around to see if anyone had gotten bitten or hurt. To his surprise, his eyes landed on Beth and Daryl, pressed back to back, picking off every zombie that came near them. The former police officer didn't have time to watch the two fight together like clockwork, because just as soon as he had glanced at them, another walker shambling towards him. After what felt like hours all that was left was twice dead bodies littering the floor and the only sounds were the heavy, labored breaths of the living echoing against the bloodied walls.

"Oh my God, Beth!" Maggie's hoarse voice cried as her knife fell to the ground as she stumbled across the bodies, flinging herself into the arms of her younger sister. The two women fell to the ground, hugging and sobbing into each other. The reunion only lasted a second before three walkers turned the corner, groaning at the sight of fresh food. Rick tugged on Maggie's shirt, nodding towards the door.

"We gotta go now, come on." He said, helping them up and leading his family down the hallway towards the exit. Once outside and a safe distance away from the hospital, they slowed to a walk and Glenn and Maggie took turns hugging the small blonde, badgering her with questions. Rick pretended not to notice when he saw Daryl's hand move up to rest on the small of her back, his thumb rubbing the sliver of skin that was exposed when her shirt had ridden up.

"Where's everyone else? Is it only you four now?" Beth asked, her voice rising an octave in panic at the thought of her family being dead. Rick chuckled, shaking his head a few times.

"They're all safe, we have camp about five miles out." He told her, watching as she exhaled loudly and her shoulders fell in relief.

"What happened that night Bethy? How'd you get to the hospital?" Maggie asked cautiously after a few more minutes of walking. Beth tensed up visibly, shaking her head quickly.

"I don't wanna talk about it." She mumbled and Rick could have sworn that when she said that she took a step closer to Daryl, whose hand slid from her back to her waist and squeezed gently. As soon as he had done it has hand was gone, back to hand by his side.

They remained silent the rest of the walk back to camp, which was an old abandoned house they had been staying in for a few weeks. The sun was setting over the horizon, covering everything in a warm glow that didn't match the cold, awkward silence of the trip back. Rick knocked three times on the door, one slow then two fast, signaling to everyone inside that it was them. Like every other time they returned home from a run, everyone inside looked relieved to see them back and safe. Carl ran to hug his father, Judith toddling slowly behind him.

"Got a surprise for y'all." Rick said cryptically with a big grin, opening the door wider to reveal Beth. Everyone stopped what they were doing, shocked to see her there, since they had long since accepted the fact that she was probably dead. A split second later the room went to chaos, running to Beth and showering her with hugs and "I'm glad you're safe". Beth had hardly been able to contain her tears that rolled down her cheeks as she hugged everyone, kissing their cheeks gently. When her eyes landed on Judith, the flood gates broke as she scooped the baby up and cradled her to her chest, sobbing and kissing the soft, downy hairs on her head.

Once everything had settled down they corralled in the living room, passing cans of food around for dinner and catching up. They told her of Terminus and introduced her to Abraham, Rosita, and Eugene, briefing her on their mission of going to DC. She nodded and listened intently, pressed hip to hip with Daryl, sharing a can of spaghetti o's. From where he was sitting, Rick could see the hunter's hand on top of hers, hidden behind them so no one else could see, stroking the top of her hand with his thumb much like he had done on her back earlier. Rick couldn't help but wonder what had happened while they were on their own, what had Beth done to make a man who usually flinched at any form of physical contact be the first to reach out.

After everyone was asleep Rick joined Daryl on the porch, throwing an extra blanket in his lap to combat the cool night air. They sat in comfortable silence on the plush chairs they had dragged outside for watch, keeping their eyes peeled for any sign of danger. After a while Rick cleared his throat, gaining Daryl's attention.

"You glad Beth's back?" He asked casually. Daryl shifted in his seat, his eyes dropping down to his crossbow and giving him a grunt in response.

"Just as much as everyone else, glad everyone's together again." He answered with a shrug. Rick snorted, seeing straight through his lie.

"You seemed to be awfully touchy feely with her tonight, holdin' hands and all." Despite it being dark, Rick could make out the blush that covered Daryl's face and neck from his statement.

"Shuddup." He muttered, shoving his arm. "We're just friends."

Rick chuckled, rolling his eyes at his friend. "Sure brother, and the walkers are vegetarians."

That comment earned him the middle finger from Daryl, and deciding he had messed with him enough, he dropped the subject, settling back into silence.

_Friends just sleep in another bed,_

_And friends don't treat me like you do._

Since getting her sister back, Maggie liked to always know where Beth was. Sure, Beth had complained about it, saying she was an adult and didn't need to be watched like a hawk, but Maggie just kissed her head and told her to get over it. It was her job as her last living blood family and older sister to watch over and protect her, even if it meant annoying the ever-loving shit out of her. Also, being the observant sibling that she was, Maggie had noticed how Beth had taken to Daryl Dixon like a fish to water. They were always joined at the hip, eating together, fighting back-to-back against the undead, and talking in hushed tones away from the group. Maggie thought she was the only one who had noticed the duos strange interactions, but she was proven wrong one afternoon when they walked out of the woods together, coming in from a hunt. That in itself wasn't weird, Beth had told her that when they were on their own she would tag along behind him when he was tracking, collecting his kills for him and carrying them on her belt before watching him skin the prey. What was surprising was what Beth was holding in her hands as her and Daryl crossed the yard to the house they were shacked up in for the night.

"Is that his crossbow?" Sasha asked as they crouched in the window, hidden from everyone else by the heavy curtains, her voice barely a whisper. "He doesn't even like people _looking_ at his bow, I've never even seen anyone but him touch it."

Maggie nodded slowly, watching as Daryl nudged Beth with his elbow before pointing up to a tree. Beth grinned, nodding slightly before holding the bow upwards. Maggie and Sasha's jaw dropped when the bolt flew through the air before falling back down speared through a squirrel.

"Did she just-" Sasha asked, completely shocked that Beth wasn't just holding his bow, but that she had actually just used it.

"Yeah, she did." Maggie confirmed, keeping her eyes glued to Beth and Daryl. She shot him a beaming smile as she held up her catch, earning a grin and nod of approval from him. They started back towards the house, and when Daryl made eye contact with Maggie from where she was crouching in the window she squeaked and dove out of the way, pulling Sasha away from where they were spying and scrambled to the couch.

"I miss fresh fruit." Maggie said, starting an inconspicuous conversation as the door opened and Beth entered, her hands full of small game. "Hey Bethy, you're back early." She greeted, giving her a small wave. She only rolled her eyes and stomped into the kitchen, Daryl sending her a glare as he followed her out. When they were gone, Maggie threw her head in her hands in embarrassment, snickering with Sasha over the fact that they had been caught. Later that night, Beth had ripped her a new one when everyone else was asleep, telling her to leave her alone and stopped watching her every move, that she didn't need her protection.

"Why because Daryl's got you now?" Maggie snapped. Beth went from pale as a ghost to red as a firetruck so fast she looked like a chameleon.

"No, Daryl has nothing to do with this Maggie, he's just a friend. I can take care of myself, I'm not a kid anymore. I know it's because you love me, but you don't have to watch me like I'm going to be snatched up anytime you can't see me." With those words, Beth turned over onto her side, and didn't say anything else. A while later her breathing evened out and Maggie heard her soft snores. She didn't sleep herself until Glenn came in after his watch, and only then she allowed herself to relax and succumb to sleep.

The next morning Maggie woke up at dawn, snuggling into Glenn's side in an attempt to go back to sleep. After a few minutes she knew it wasn't going to happen, so she turned over with every intention of apologizing to Beth. When she turned over though, her sister was gone, her pillow and blanket on the floor being the only evidence she had been there. Maggie's heart raced as she jumped out of bed and darted out of the living room. She peered into every room of the house, but didn't find her sister until she checked the last room. Relief washed over her as her eyes landed on her little sister on the tiny twin mattress, wrapped up in the arms of Daryl Dixon. Her head was resting on his chest, making it rise and fall gently with every breath he took. His arms were around her, one hand over his eyes and one resting on Beth's hip, holding her against him. From what she could see, their legs were tangled together underneath the sheets, their shoes and socks discarded at the foot of the bed. Maggie eased the door shut, making sure to not make any noise and wake them up, before turning on her heel and making her way back towards the pullout couch she was sharing with Glenn.

"Friend my ass." She chuckled to herself as she curled back up next to her husband, eager to gossip about her findings with Sasha.

_No one will find out if it all went wrong._

_They'll never know what we've been through._

"Did you tell them, like, about what happened when we were alone?" She asked one afternoon when they were walking down the interstate towards Washington. They were walking behind everyone else like usual, far enough away so that no one could hear them but close enough to catch up if need be. Daryl glanced down at her, raising an eyebrow.

"What happened when we were alone?" He asked, hints of humor and teasing in his voice. She chuckled and elbowed him in the side gently.

"You know, the moonshine shack and the cemetery and stuff."

"Oh yeah and how you're a little arsonist? How I got you drunk? They would have eaten that up, Greene." He quipped, the corner of his mouth quirking up in a small grin. Beth rolled her eyes and bumped her hip against his, throwing him off balance a little. He bumped her back before speaking up again. "Nah, I didn't tell 'em. None of their business, just told 'em you were kidnapped when I was fightin' walkers."

Beth nodded slowly, her eyes going down to her shoes. "What'd you do when you saw I'd been taken?" They hadn't talked about it, what had happened between the night she was taken and when they found her, she obviously didn't want to. Whenever someone brought it up, trying to be gentle about the topic, Beth would tense up and move to another subject. Daryl never brought it up to her, not wanting to ruin whatever good moment they were having with the dark subject of her abduction.

"I ran all night until I got to a crossroads and couldn't figure out which way the car had gone. Collapsed from exhaustion and a while later some guys found me. I was with them for a few days, they were mean sumbitches, killed a guy for lyin', tried to kill Rick and hurt Carl. After we got rid of them we went to Terminus, didn't turn out to be as good as we thought. That's when we got back together with your sister, Glenn, Bob, Sasha, and the others."

"What was so bad about them?" Beth interrupted, looking up at him. He shrugged, making his hand brush against hers, and not for the first time Beth wished he would hold her hand. Much to her dismay, he moved his hand away and shoved it in his pocket.

"They were cannibals, lured people in with a promise of sanctuary then cooked 'em up. They were sick people, just like everyone else now." He said simply. Beth rolled her eyes and clutched onto the straps of her backpack.

"There are still good people out there Daryl." She reminded him for what seemed like the millionth time. He looked down at her and nodded slowly, nudging her arm gently.

"Yeah, there is." He gave her a small smile, something she rarely saw, before looking back at the road. Beth's heart fluttered and her cheeks flushed, something she wished she could control more. They walked in silence for a little bit longer before she spoke up.

"They hit me with their car. I passed out on impact, I didn't even see it coming. It broke my wrist and a couple ribs, the guy driving panicked and pulled me into the car. I woke up in the hospital, begged them to let me out, that I had a family I needed to find. The leader, Natasha, refused and said I was going to stay. That they needed more people to strengthen themselves and rebuild society. They caught me trying to escape down the elevator shaft and Natasha beat the shit outta me." Beth confessed for the first time. Daryl's eyes went wide, his blood boiling at the thought of someone hurting her. "It was awful, I hated every second of it. I'm glad y'all found me."

"Glad I found you too." He said, biting his tongue when he realized what he said. "I-I mean I'm glad we found you and got our family back together. I'm glad we're friends" He brushed it off, mentally kicking himself. Beth couldn't help but hide her disappointment at him taking it back, but she gave him a big, bright, fake smile and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm happy that we're friends too." She lied, pushing the thought of ever being more to the back of her mind as they continued down the road.

_And friends shouldn't kiss me like you do._

Carl didn't mean to see it, he really didn't. All he needed to do was go take a leak in the woods and go back inside to finish playing Life with Michonne and Carol, but he stumbled upon more than he'd thought he would. He was surprised, to say the least, to see Beth and Daryl sitting against a big tree chatting casually like they weren't in the middle of the apocalypse. Carl watched from a distance, not hearing their talking but occasionally hearing Beth's laughter. After a few minutes, right as he was about to leave to find a spot to pee, Carl watched in shock as Daryl tilted Beth's head up and kissed her. They had sworn up and down that they were "just friends" but he knew for a fact that friends don't go around kissing other friends. It wasn't a long kiss, not extremely passionate like the ones he'd seen Maggie and Glenn share, but it was more than just a little peck. They continued talking like the kiss hadn't happened, their cheeks stained pink. Carl smirked and turned away, walking away quietly to use the bathroom. They so weren't just friends.

_But then again, if we're not friends,_

_Someone else might love you too._

_And then again, if we're not friends,_

_There'd be nothing I could do_

Never in a million years did Daryl think he'd be jealous of a kid fifteen years younger than him, but he also didn't think the dead would come back to life with an appetite for human flesh. He was sitting on his porch in Alexandria, sharpening his knife and glaring at the idiot guy Beth was wrapped around. His name was Trevor and he was just about everything Daryl wasn't. He had a happy, care-free attitude, was lean and blond, everyone in town adored him. Beth Greene was one of those girls, and when they had arrived in town a month prior, the twenty year old had swept her up and showered her with all the affection Daryl never could. He watched as Beth laughed at something he had said, and Daryl wished he was in the kid's place.

Daryl would never admit to anyone that he could feel his heart crack when he saw him kiss her on her front step in the house across from his, and he would never tell anyone that seeing them kiss was the reason he didn't leave his room for two days. He brushed it off saying he hadn't felt good when Beth came over to check on him, he just told her to get away before he could get her sick. Trevor was good for her though, he was young and didn't have enough emotional baggage to drown a person like he did. He was good for Beth, much better for her than he was. So he listened to her gush about how much she liked him and how he said he was going to go on a run to get her a necklace for her twentieth birthday, which was coming up soon. Even though it damn near broke his heart to hear her go on about being with a man that wasn't him, he listened and kept his thoughts to himself, because she was happy and that's all he ever wanted for her.

Sometimes it was difficult, sometimes he wanted to grab her by her arms and shake her, yelling at her that he loved her and it was killing him to see her with someone else. He wanted to ask her if the kiss they had shared in the woods a few weeks before they got to the safe zone meant anything to her, if all the gentle touches and hushed conversations were just a game. He never did though, because they were friends, best friends that did stuff like that.

The night she showed up at his house, barging into his room into his room sobbing her eyes out over Trevor, Daryl saw red. She collapsed on top of him, not phased at all that he was only wearing boxers, and clutched onto his shoulders.

"What happened sweetheart?" He asked softly, sitting up so he could hold her in his lap. She shook her head and coughed loudly, something he learned that she did when she cried too hard. He waited patiently until her sobs turned to sniffles before asking her again.

"T-Trevor was hooking up w-with other girls b-because I wouldn't p-put out." She stuttered, wiping her nose on the back of her hand. "He was j-just using m-me."

If she hadn't been sitting in his lap in the middle of the night having an emotional breakdown, Daryl would have been halfway to the asshole's house by now, ready to beat the lights out of him for hurting her, then once he was dead he would wait until her reanimated to kill him a second time. Instead, he just held Beth tighter and rubbed her back slowly.

"He's an asshat, don't deserve you anyways. You can do better than some stupid kid." He assured her. Beth chuckled and nodded slowly, running her hands over his shoulders and back.

"Yeah, I need a man." She chuckled, her hand dropping to his bicep. "A big, strong, redneck man that'll protect me and get me moonshine when I want a drink." Daryl's heart pounded against his chest at her words and he pulled away from her, looking into her big blue eyes that shined even brighter from the moonlight.

"Beth-" He started, only for her to press a finger to his lips, silencing him.

"I need a man that'll take care of me and teach me how to hunt and survive and run all night chasing a car when I get abducted." She said, sucking in a deep breath before continuing. "I need a man that's gonna love me, and that's you."

They stayed silent for a while, letting her words sink in. Eventually, because he knew words wouldn't cut it, Daryl leaned in and kissed her gently. When she pulled away she rested her forehead against his, smiling gently.

"I love you Daryl, and I'm sick of being your friend." She giggled, a sound Daryl knew would probably have annoyed him before the turn, but now it was like music to him. He chuckled back, nodding in agreement.

"Me too, I hate being just friends." He said. "And I love you too."

_Oh, my friends will never love me like you._


	2. Movie Night

**A/N: Random one shot written from a prompt Mary (no-place-like-it) and Ashley (akiraflame) gave me forever ago that I never got around to finishing until now. Basically Beth forces Daryl to watch Mean Girls. (Sorry its short and not very detailed, I've never watched the movie through completely and honestly I don't really like it) anyways, I hope y'all like it! p.s. instead of creating a new "fic" for each one-shot I write I'm just going to throw them all into the one "Friends" was originally in. None of them are related, its just to make my life easier, hope that makes sense to everyone.**

Daryl was a stubborn ass, anybody would tell you so if you asked. He would speak his mind without a single regret and then shove his middle finger in the face of whoever tried to persuade him into doing something he didn't want to. Despite all that, he could not say no to Beth Greene. She was his weakness, his kryptonite, it was impossible to turn down anything she asked for when she blinked her wide blue eyes up at him. She knew what she was doing too, she knew that he was all but putty in her hands and she took advantage of it often. She was just as stubborn as him, if not more, and after almost two years of dating he had learned not to argue with her.

He knew the second that she slid the dvd case across the kitchen counter while she made dinner for them that she had decided what movie they were going to watch, and even though it looked ridiculous, he knew there was no changing her mind.

"Aw come on Beth, not another stupid chick flick." He begged as she loaded two plates up with enough spaghetti to feed a small army.

"Nuh uh, you chose last time. It's my turn to pick, you know the rules." She said, turning on her heel and taking their plates into the living room while he dug through the shelves in search of a bottle of wine. He wasn't much of a wine person, but he knew Beth liked it so he dealt with it for her.

"Hurry up Daryl, you're going to miss this cinematic masterpiece." Beth joked as he jumped over the back of the couch, something he knew she hated. When he settled down beside her she was glaring at him, shooting him daggers that at one point scared the shit out of him, but now he thought was cute. She rolled her eyes at him before setting his plate in his lap and picking up the remote to start the movie while he poured them wine.

Ten minutes into the movie, Daryl decided that he would rather have needles shoved into his eyes than watch another second of it. Beth obviously had a different opinion, laughing and quoting it almost word for word.

"This is stupid." Daryl stated. "Who the hell names their kid Cady, what kinda name is that?"

"It's pronounced Katie, now shut up and stop whining." Beth quipped, her mouth full of spaghetti. He sighed, setting his empty plate on the coffee table and refilling his glass, knowing he would need the alcohol to get through the movie.

"Can you tell the weather with your boobs?" He asked after the scene, earning a shove from Beth.

"No Daryl, I can't." She chuckled. He smirked and shifted closer to her, setting one arm over her shoulder while running the other up her stomach.

"Why don't I give 'em a feel, see if I can't tell," He joked. Beth slapped his hand away and rolled her eyes at him for what felt like the millionth time that night.

"Nice try. Now shut up." She shot him down, not even moving her eyes from the screen. Daryl groaned in frustration and slumped down on the couch. If it had been his choice they would have been watching the scariest, goriest movie they had at Blockbuster's, one that would have Beth screaming and curled up into his side in fear. He couldn't help but smirk to himself, that sounded good to him.

By the end of the movie, Daryl was just buzzed enough to laugh at every joke, even though he didn't even find them funny. Beth had long since gotten tired of his chuckling, slapping his chest every so often to get him to stop. It only worked for a few minutes before he would start up again, almost giggling at the stupidest of comments.

"Daryl," She whined once the ending credits rolled, letting her head drop back to rest of the couch cushions. "You do this every time I pick a movie for us."

"Maybe when you pick a decent movie I won't have to get lit to enjoy it." He chuckled, standing up from the couch and swaying slightly. Beth rolled her eyes, standing up to follow him down the hallway to their room. He might have been laughing them, but he surely wasn't the next day when she forced him to watch it again, completely sober.


	3. Nightmares

**A/N: whoo one shot time. This one is really short and was written at around 1 am the night of the MSF when I was so upset I couldn't sleep. A little fix it fic-ish I guess. (Who knows why I chose to wait like a month to post it on here, but oh well.) Hope ya'll like it :) **

It all happened so quickly. One second she was there, just feet away from him, so close he could reach out and pull her to him, to hug her tight and never let her go. Then she was gone, her blood spattering against the wall, staining the sterile hospital walls a sickly crimson. She was on the floor before he could even move, dead. In an instant, she was gone.

Tears burned in his eyes as he took a step forward, lifting his gun and shooting the bitch that killed her. He didn't care that it was irrational and unnecessary. His love was gone because of her. He dropped to his knees next to Beth's body, pulling her close to him and crying into her hair.

"It was you." He cried quietly. "You changed my mind damn it."

He hardly felt Rick touching his shoulder, telling them they needed to go. He was numb as he carried Beth outside of the hospital. He barely heard Maggie screaming as she saw her baby sister hanging limp in his arms. He didn't feel anything except for the hole in his chest that Beth Greene had taken with her.

Daryl woke with a start in a cold sweat, with a small warm hand touching his shoulder gently. HIs chest heaved as he fought to catch his breath after the gruesome dream.

"Shh, it was only a nightmare." Beth whispered softly from beside him, rubbing skin with solid, comforting strokes. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He shook his head as he wrapped his arms around his girl, holding her close. It wasn't real. She was there, with him and perfectly unharmed. He felt like a weight was lifted from his chest as he kissed the top of her head.

"Nah, not important." He answered, pulling away from her only enough to let her set her head on his chest as their fingers intertwined. "I love ya Greene, have I ever told you that?"

The blonde chuckled, nodding as she tilted her head up to look at him. Her blue eyes shined in the low light and they were filled with a love Daryl never thought he'd have. "Yeah, only a million times. I love you too. Now go back to sleep, whatever it was, it wasn't real."

Daryl didn't bother to reply, he answered her by leaning down to press a small kiss to her lips before closing his eyes and thanking God it was just a dream.


	4. Together

**A/N: So this is my Secret Santa gift to Thequeenofshebasays on tumblr, even though Christmas was three days ago and this has absolutely nothing to do with winter/Christmas at all. Oh well, I hope you love it anyways (because I love this, it's my favorite piece I've ever done) :)**

Sometimes, she got confused. Her mind would take her back to the awful weeks she spent at Grady Memorial Hospital, to the abuse she received for no reason every day. She had scars, both physical and mental. The two curved whitish-pink scars that adorned her cheek and forehead from Dawn's torment, and the one circular purple scar that sat on the top of her forehead, right on her hairline from when a bullet ripped its way through her skull. She had miraculously survived, crawling out of her own grave and stumbling quite literally into Morgan, delusional and half dead.

She had pulled through though, she was a fighter, that's what her father had always told her. She fought for her life and won, and when she finally made it to the Alexandria Safe Zone with Morgan, she was sure things couldn't get better.

But then they did.

She didn't even see him, that's how fast he moved, calling out her name in disbelief before pulling her into his arms, holding her to his chest in a steel-like grip. She tensed at the contact, but when she glanced down the person's back and saw the yellowed angel wings, she relaxed. She had sobbed into his hair while he cried silently into her neck, his tears hot against her skin as he whispered words she couldn't comprehend in her ear.

"I thought you were dead, y-you were dead." He stammered, pulling away and cupping her face in his hands, tracing his thumb over the scar on her cheek. She only laughed softly, resting her palm on his cheek.

"It's gonna take a lot more than a gunshot to kill me Daryl Dixon."

Later, after she reunites with the rest of her family and sheds more tears than she thought she had, she lays on the couch in the house her sister and Glenn share with Tara, Rosita and Abraham. Her mind is running wild, making it ache uncomfortably. She feels too big for her skin and she twitches restlessly. The room feels too small, too cramped. She's in the narrow hospital hallway again, just inches away from reuniting with her family. She's waking up wrapped in a white sheet with the earthy smell of dirt surrounding her and she's suffocating in her shallow grave, her head burning like the fires of Hell had been placed on it.

She can't catch her breath, the little living room is closing in on her and _oh God, she can't breathe._ Somehow she ends up stumbling through the safe zone, barefoot and disoriented, hot tears running down her face until she collapses, scraping her knees on the asphalt. That's how he found her a short time later, hyperventilating in the middle of the dark, deserted road, curled into a little ball. His heart cracks a little at the sight of her hurting, and when he scoops her up in his arms she screams, kicking her legs wildly and hitting him with her little fists until he sets her down again. Her eyes are wild and panicked, and when they finally settle on him she relaxes completely, her knees buckling in exhaustion as she falls into his arms. She had fallen asleep by the time he carries her back to Glenn and Maggie's, the latter on the verge of losing her mind worried about where her sister was. Daryl shushes her when he breezes past her, taking the blonde straight back to the couch and laying her down gently. He'd be damned if Maggie woke her up after what had just happened.

"Stay." She mumbles sleepily when he tries to leave, grabbing onto his hand and locking it in an iron grip. He stops in his tracks, turning and sitting on the floor next to the couch without so much as a second thought. He wakes up the next morning with his head resting on the couch cushion next to her stomach, a blanket thrown over his shoulders and a dull ache in his tailbone from sitting on the hard floor all night.

But it was worth it, _oh_ was it worth it.

She moves in with him after being in the safe zone for three days. She had practically lived there already, because even though she fell asleep at her sister's house, Beth always ended up sneaking into his house in the middle of the night, sliding into bed next to him without so much as a word of explanation.

Maggie had thrown a fit, insisting that she would feel safer knowing that her sister was close in case anything went wrong. _I can't lose you again!_ She had cried, clutching Beth's shirt tightly in her hands. The blonde only shook her head and continued to fold up the few items of clothing she had. Her sister might have felt safe with her close, but Maggie didn't know the only way she ever felt safe was wrapped up in Daryl Dixon's strong arms.

So she moves out, carries her things a street over, and lets herself into his house. Carl is sitting on the floor of the living room, watching Judith and playing cards with a girl his age he had met when they first arrived. He raises an eyebrow at the blonde as she kicks off her shoes at the door and sends him a beaming smile before padding through the house to Daryl's room- _their _room. To say he was surprised when he gets home from watch to find the blonde's things in his room and the girl herself lying in bed reading, would be an understatement. She smiled shyly at him, shrugging sheepishly and patting the empty space next to her.

"Well, alright then." Is all he says before toeing off his boots and joining her in bed.

It doesn't take long for their family to notice the blossoming romance between them. They see the way his hand rests on her lower back as he leads her out of a room and the way he is the only one who can calm her down when she starts to panic. The pair are attached at the hip, (quite literally the time Rick walks into their room without asking, seeing more of Daryl than he ever wished too, but that happens much, much later) it was impossible to see one without the other.

It's the moments that people don't see that are important though. Like the first time she kisses him is in the middle of the night when he's having a nightmare and all she does is roll over and press her lips to his, calming him down. Nobody is home when they're making out on the couch like teenagers (like they know Carl does whenever his new friend comes over to "play cards" when him and Rick are on watch) and Daryl runs his hands under Beth's shirt, his calloused hands seeming to be even rougher against her smooth skin. Nobody sees the way she goes stiff as a board at the intimate touch because the only other time a man has touched her that way she was pressed up against a desk, trapped as the officer's greedy fingers roamed over her torso.

She barely notices when Daryl asks her if she's okay, if he wants her to stop, but she shakes her head quickly, urging his hands to drift higher as she practically begs _don't stop, please don't stop. _He didn't know it then, but his touch had healed her a bit, filled in one of the cracks she had gotten after her abduction.

No one- yet everyone- is surprised when they both have rings on their fingers a year or so after she arrived at the safe zone. There was no official ceremony, they didn't need one. Quiet _Till death do us part_'s whispered in the dark of night and simple, silver bands he had taken during a supply run were enough for them. The world had changed and they had changed with it, there was no need for a big wedding and Beth had long been stripped of the purity needed to wear a white dress. According to Beth, they had been married for a long time, that they just didn't call it that and they didn't need a stupid piece of paper declaring their marital status.

It's not all smooth sailing though. They lose people and Beth still has anxiety attacks and Carl cries for two days when his first girlfriend breaks up with him and walkers still threaten the little life they made every day. Beth and Daryl fight and get into screaming matches over Beth going on runs or having kids or Daryl's awful habit of leaving the toilet seat up. She gets frustrated at him and he accidentally calls her names, and his heart damn near cracks when her face drops and she leaves the house without another word. Then at the end of the day when she's at Maggie's, crying into her older sister's shirt about how awful she feels for yelling at him; he always shows up at the door with red rimmed eyes, a handful of wildflowers, and an apology on his lips.

He almost goes into shock when she tells him she's pregnant. She swears he goes whiter than a sheet of paper and she gets worried that he's going to get angry or pass out or something equally awful. Then, he cracks a smile so bright it rivals the sun, and he's picking her up and spinning her around in circles in their kitchen. Judith giggles when she enters the room just in time for him to press his lips to hers, cupping her face in one hand and resting the other on her still-flat stomach.

He's scared for it, and so is she, but just like everything else life throws their way, they know they can face it together.


	5. Babe, You Look So Cool

**A/N: So I wrote this up really quickly. Inspired by someones post I saw on tumblr about Beth and Daryl being robbers. I hope y'all like this because I do. I wrote this at like 1 am and this is unbeta-ed, so ignore spelling mistakes please. Title credit goes to the song "Robbers" by The 1975, which this was _very very _loosely semi-inspired by. **

**I'm going to put an M rating on this one for a touch of smut, so fair warning friends. **

No one in the small Georgia town had expected it. It had always been a quiet town, nothing too crazy happened accept for the occasional bar fight or teen pregnancy that would be the talk of the town for a few days before everyone got bored with the subject. The residents of the town had heard of the pair of thieves going around the southern US, hitting big cities before fleeing without a trace. No one knew who they duo were, they didn't even have a good picture of them to put on the news. Not only were they good at what they did, they were smart enough to cover their tracks very, very well.

It was another quiet afternoon in the the equally quiet town when the unexpected happened.

The two doors to the bank opened at the same time, one locking behind the person who entered. The teller looked up, the blood draining from her face when she saw two people with balaclavas on, dressed in black.

"Hands up now, we don't wanna hurt anyone." The smaller one said, her voice high and feminine, but hard and demanding at the same time. She held a gun in her hands, finger poised on the finger. The teller shook in fear, her hands groping underneath her desk for the emergency button to alert the police. The sound of the safety on the gun clicking off made her stop as the man spoke up.

"Nuh uh, you press that button and things are gonna get messy." He warned, nodding to the center of the room. "Now why don't y'all come 'round here, sit with my girl while I get what we need and we'll be on our way."

The three tellers, all shaking with fear, held their hands up as they slowly made their way around the counter to the center of the lobby. The woman motioned for them to sit, keeping her gun pointed on them. The man moved around the counter, shoving as much cash as he could into the bag he had in his hands.

"You want these suckers darlin'?" The man asked, holding up the little basket containing lollipops. The woman giggled, nodding excitedly in affirmation. The man winked at her, dumping the candy into the bag along with the money.

One of the tellers had started weeping quietly, her makeup running down her cheeks. The woman kneeled in front of her, resting her hand on her arm, making the teller scream.

"Hey, don't be scared. We ain't gonna hurt ya unless you do somethin' stupid. We'll be gone before ya know it." She assured her, her eyes kind despite the crime she was committing. Looking up to where the man had disappeared into the safe, she stood up slowly. "You almost done babe?"

"Yeah baby." He said, reemerging from the back room, the bag full. He fished a set of keys out of his pocket, tossing it over the counter to the woman.

"You get the tapes?" She asked as she started towards the door, keeping her eyes on the three woman huddled on the floor. The man nodded, holding up the security tapes in his hand in confirmation.

"And enough to buy you a pretty ring." He said, coming out from behind the counter. The woman laughed, blowing him a kiss through her mask.

"Bye ladies, thanks for your cooperation!" The woman gave them a small wave before turning and running out of the bank. The man followed, giving them a small salute before running out, leaving the three tellers in shock of what had just happened.

"I love you, I love you, I love you!" Beth Dixon cheered, her light laughter filling the dank motel room as she tangled her fingers in her husbands hair. He laughed, peppering kisses down her neck, squeezing her hips gently.

"You did so good today darlin'." He said into her skin. "Nicest damn robber I ever met."

"And you're the best damn thief in the south Daryl Dixon." She replied brightly, flipping them over for her to straddle his waist, pulling a stack of bills from their bag, releasing them to flutter down over him.

They always celebrated after a particularly good day, usually holing up in a cheap hotel to have as much sex as they could before moving on to somewhere else. Daryl had been a drifter his whole life, but it was pointless until he found her, an nineteen year old runaway with nowhere to be. They were an odd pair, but when he found her he found his purpose. He didn't care that they drifted anymore, robbing any bank or convenience store they felt like. Beth was his literal partner in crime, he didn't need anything else if she was by his side.

"I'm gonna buy you a ring now, one you deserve." He said, bunching her shirt up until she pulled it over her head, tossing it somewhere behind her. She smiled, working on the buttons of his flannel that he had changed into after they left the bank.

"You know I don't need one." She finished undoing the bottoms, running her hands over his toned chest, stopping briefly on her name tattooed over his heart. They had been married for six months, and for six months he had promised her a big diamond ring that she could have cared less about. She didn't need the trivial piece of jewelry. Hell, she didn't even need a big wedding. She got married in cowboy boots and ripped jeans in a courthouse somewhere in middle Georgia, their witnesses being another couple waiting to get married. All she wanted was to be his wife, everything else be damned.

"I want you 't have one, ya deserve one." He said, unbuttoning her jean shorts, pushing her up so he could slide them down her legs. She bit her lip, pulling his zipper down and tugging his jeans down for him to kick off. She sighed, leaning down to press a kiss to his lips.

"Save the money." She whispered against his lips, lining herself up with him. She sunk down on him, breathing moans leaving their mouths before Beth continued. "We'll need it for the baby."

Daryl's eyes shot open at her confession, his grip on her hips tightening. "Baby?" He asked, making sure he heard her right. She smiled sheepishly, nodding her head.

"Turns out it wasn't all the gas station junk food getting me sick." She shrugged, chuckling softly. "So what do you think?"

He chuckled, pulling her down to kiss her. "I think that we should take a break, settle down for a while. Then, we're gonna get a balaclava for the little one and go back to what we do best."

"That sounds perfect." She giggled, kissing him again. "I love you."

"Love you too darlin'."

They might have been an unlikely pair with an unusual- and illegal- habit, but they were the Dixon's and they could do anything just as long as they had each other. They didn't need anything, or anyone, else.


	6. Rock

**A/N: Quick little one shot (really it's more of a blurb but that's beside the point) I wrote up this morning. Not going to lie, this was inspired by a line that was said on Modern Family, but I think it's cute and I got giggly just writing it. So, I hope y'all like it! (and for those who read Angels and Saints or Girls, both chapters are done so expect updates very very soon...) **

It had been another long day. A herd had come out of nowhere while they were sleeping, forcing them to leave all of their things behind and run until their legs ached and chests burned from a lack of oxygen. Adrenaline had helped, but it only went so far and by the time the sun was rising over the horizon, they had all fallen in a heap in the middle of an old cotton field.

Beth's chest heaved as she clutched her knife tightly, closing her eyes to focus on her breathing. All around her her family was doing the same, their labored breaths as loud as gunfire in the quiet peacefulness of the field.

"You okay?" Daryl asked from beside her. Beth nodded breathlessly, not sure if he was looking at her or not.

"A blister busted on my heel." She said as the pain made itself known, radiating from her heel every time it brushed against the rough leather of her cowboy boots. "and I think I have walker blood in my pants."

Daryl chuckled from beside her and she opened her eyes to see him sit up, moving to her sit beside her feet. He gingerly took her boot off, setting it to the side before inspecting her heel. Sure enough, it was bloody and irritated. Beth groaned in annoyance, wishing she had the thick socks that were in her old sack. Unfortunately, it had been left behind in their rush just like the rest of their things.

Daryl chewed on his lip, pulling out his knife and cutting the bottom of his shirt. He pulled a strip of the flannel off before gently wrapping her heel with it before pulling her sock back on and helping her into her shoe again.

"That's the best I can do until we find band aids or some different socks." He said, moving to lay down beside her. Beth shrugged, searching blindly for his hand. She smiled when she finally found it, lacing their fingers together and squeezing his hand. "Can't do anythin' about your pants though."

Beth laughed, using her free hand to wipe sweat out of her eyes. "I can handle a little blood. How are you feelin' though?" She asked, shifting closer so their arms were brushing. Daryl chuckled, squeezing her hand again.

"Think I'm layin' on a rock." He said. Beth giggled, tilting her head to look up at him. Sure, Daryl was a little rough around the edges, but despite that he was a good man. He had searched for her when no one else did, he pulled her back when she was about to make a rash decision that would have undoubtedly change her life, he protected her even though he knew she didn't need it. Even though she hadn't said it, she loved him, and she knew he loved her back. They didn't need the words though, their actions said plenty.

She smiled up at him, bringing their hands up to press a kiss to the top of his quickly. "I'm layin' next to mine."


	7. Out of the Woods

**A/N: Here's another AU one shot/song fic for y'all. Inspired by Out of the Woods by Taylor Swift. In this, Daryl and Beth are the same age. Hope y'all like this! **

_Looking at it now_

_It all seems so simple_

_We were lying on your couch_

When they first started dating, no one knew. No one knew, because absolutely no one was expecting it. Their high school was small, only five hundred people, everybody knew everyone. Beth Greene was the model student. She was kind to everyone, had nearly perfect attendance, the whole nine yards. Daryl Dixon was the exact opposite of her. Whenever he did come to school, which really was only a few times a week, he hardly paid attention and snapped at anyone who dared talking to him.

When the two got paired together as lab partners their junior year of high school, Beth had been worried. She didn't want to end up doing all of the experiments and lab papers by herself, letting Daryl get an easy grade from her doing all the work. Not that she didn't want him to get a good grade in Advanced Biology, she just wanted him to pull his weight. She was more than surprised when he always showed up on lab days, participating silently alongside her and answering the post-lab by himself before scribbling their names at the top of the sheet and turning it in.

"You know we're supposed to do that together, I could help you with it." She said after their rat dissection, glancing at the worksheet that he was filling out. He shrugged, shifting it to the middle of the lab table for her to see.

"Didn't want ya to think I wasn't gonna do shit in this class." He said, his voice deep and quiet. Beth blushed, kicking herself because that was exactly what she had thought at first. After that day though, there had been a shift. Daryl really wasn't as scary or menacing as people had thought. He was really smart, quiet but insanely observant, and she couldn't help but be drawn to him.

In January of their junior year, after nearly six months of talking to him every spare moment they had in science and english, their two classes together, Beth asked him to dinner. To her surprise, he said yes. One simple dinner led to a movie date, to another dinner, to eating lunch together alone on the soccer field. Finally, in February, Daryl worked up the courage to kiss her after school when the halls were empty and no one was around. Though they never said the words to make it official, from that moment forward Daryl Dixon was Beth Greene's boyfriend.

They weren't a touchy couple, unlike Beth's older sister Maggie and her boyfriend Glenn, who were always kissing and hugging. The two seldom showed affection in public, and even in private they weren't extremely affectionate. Even though Beth loved hugs, kissing, and holding hands; Daryl did not. Which is why when he wanted to show affection, she welcomed it with open arms, literally.

It was a particularly cold day in early March, the school had a half day, so after being dismissed at noon Daryl and Beth went to her house. After poking her head in the barn to let her father know she was home she led Daryl inside, kicking off her cowboy boots.

"You hungry?" She asked as he sat down on the couch, slouching down in it. He shook his head, pulling a blanket into his lap.

""S damn cold, ya'll don't have air conditioning?" He huffed, his teeth chattering quietly. Beth laughing, tossing him a quilt that was draped over an armchair.

"The house is old, dad doesn't want to change it." She said simply, shrugging as she turned towards the stairs. "I'm gonna go change into somethin' warm, do you want one of Shawn's sweatshirts or somethin'?" He only wore an old, thin jacket, Beth knew it wasn't enough to keep him warm. She knew about his horrible home life, everyone in town knew that Will Dixon was a mean old man. Daryl hardly talked about it, but the few things he had told her made her nauseous.

"Nah, I'm good." He shook his head, pulling the blankets over himself more. She rolled her eyes at him, marching up the stairs. After changing into sweatpants, a sweatshirt and fuzzy socks, Beth grabbed one of her brother's Georgia Southern sweatshirts from his room. She didn't care if he had said he didn't want it, Beth couldn't stand the sight of her boyfriend purposely freezing himself.

"Put it on." She order, tossing it at his head as she passed, going to start a fire in the fireplace. She heard him sigh from behind her, but a moment later there was the sound of shuffling and fabric brushing against fabric, letting her know he had done as she asked.

Once the fire was lit, she crossed the room to sit next to Daryl on the couch, resting her head on his shoulder. It isn't long before he yawned, making her yawn, then giggle afterwards.

"Tired?" She asked, looking up at him with sparkling eyes. He nodded, glancing down at her. "Lay down, we're gonna take a nap." She declared, pushing him gently so he was laying on his side. He gave her a strange look as she settled down in front of him, letting him spoon her. He hesitantly let his hand rest on her hip, allowing his thumb to brush her hip bone when she didn't try to stop him.

Comfortable and warm, the two teenagers quickly fell asleep on the couch. That's how Hershel Greene found them a few hours later, cuddled together innocently on the couch, and he couldn't help but smile.

_Your necklace hanging from my neck_

_The night we couldn't quite forget_

_When we decided_

_To move the furniture so we could dance,_

By May, school is out and they're completely free for two whole months and then some. Maggie and Shawn come home from their respective colleges, eager to spend summer at home. For all three Greene children though, they were less than eager to pitch in helping on the farm. Beth didn't mind as much as her older siblings, because she spent the summer watching her boyfriend working from afar, thanking God that she talked her dad into hiring Daryl for the summer. When their mom called them in for lunch, she practically skipped to him, pulling him in by his sweaty shirt to steal a kiss on his lips. He turned the color of a tomato and groaned at his girlfriend, slipping his hand into hers. On particularly hot days, the two of them snuck down to the pond and stripped to their underwear, cooling off in the water.

"You think your dad would be mad, us sneakin' out here and swimmin' in our underwear?" He asked, letting his hands drift around her bare waist. She shrugged, throwing her arms around his neck. After their first time together, she had seen the battlefield that was his back, covered in old and new scars and lashes. She had cried, pressing kisses into his healing flesh until he turned around and kissed her on the mouth, whispering that he would be okay.

"I dunno, but if he asks I'm blamin' you." She giggled, pressing a kiss to his mouth. He chuckled in response, playfully dunking her under the water. She emerged with a gasp, splashing him before swimming away. He caught her by her ankles, pulling her back to him. She shrieked in surprise, kicking her legs free and diving under the water to swim away.

To no surprise, they lost track of time and the sun was making its descent in the sky when Annette found them laying on the bank of the pond. Beth was nearly asleep with her head resting on Daryl's bare chest, while he had one arm tucked underneath his head and the other hand running lazily through her hair. Annette smiled, taking a step closer to them and clearing her throat. Beth sat up, her head whipping around to the newcomer. She sighed in relief when she realized it wasn't her dad who had found them, and waved to her mom.

"Supper's ready." Annette announced as Beth pulled her tanktop over her head. Daryl sat up, careful to keep his back hidden from the older woman. She couldn't help but frown, she hated that Daryl had such a hard home life, which was partially why she offered to let him spend the night so much. Hershel wasn't so keen on the idea, especially when they could hear the teenager sneaking upstairs to Beth's room during the night, but he always agreed with his wife.

"We'll be there in a minute mama." Beth said, standing up to tug on her jean shorts. Daryl nodded in agreement, pulling his jeans and shirt on. "-and if Daddy asks where we were-"

"You were comin' in from a ride with Nelly, weren't you?" Annette said, faking a confused look. Beth smiled, nodding as her mom gave her a knowing wink before turning on her heel and heading towards the house.

"I love your mom." Daryl chuckled once she was out of sight, coming up behind Beth and kissing her neck softly. The blonde chuckled, intertwining their hands and nodding.

"I thought you loved me." She joked, squeezing his hands. "Were you really just trying to get closer to my mom?"

"Damn it, you figured me out." He laughed, kissing her cheek and pulling awy. She rolled her eyes, leading him towards the house.

"Whatever Daryl." She giggled, sneaking one last kiss before tugging him towards the farm house.

After dinner, Hershel and Annette stood in the kitchen washing dishes, discussing plans to send their crops to the farmer's market when shrieking laughter came from the living room. Hershel raised an eyebrow, glancing down at his wife with an amused look.

"Think we should go check and see if they've broken somethin'?" He asked. Annette laughed quietly, setting a plate aside and wiping her wet hands on her dress before going to their living room. She stopped in the doorway, laughing at the sight.

All of the furniture had been moved to the side of the room, leaving a big space in the middle. An old George Strait song crooned through the stereo, which Beth was singing along to as she and Daryl danced in the middle. Maggie and Shawn were next to them, dancing a little more gracefully than Beth and Daryl. The young couple were laughing as they moved in circles around the room, laughing even harder when they would step on each other's toes or trip up.

Hershel chuckled next to Annette, watching on quietly, wrapping an arm around his wife's waist.

"She did good." Annette whispered, watching as Daryl spun Beth under his arm, dipping her down. Beth laughed, leaning up to steal a kiss from Daryl, making him blush. Maggie and Shawn cheered them on as Beth stood up straight, resting her head on Daryl's shoulder as she continued to laugh.

"Yeah, she did real good." Hershel agreed.

_Remember when you hit the brakes too soon?_

_Twenty stitches in the hospital room_

_When you started cryin', baby, I did, too_

" ?" His voice was shaky over the phone as his hands shook. It was late, Hershel was sure to be angry at the sudden call.

"Daryl, is that you?" The older man asked, his voice groggy. The call had obviously woken him up.

"Uh, yes sir." Daryl said, leaning against the nurse's station as people milled around, busy with their own crisis. "I screwed up."

"What happened son? Is everythin' okay, do ya need me to come to your house?" He asked, his voice full of concern.

"No, it ain't that." Daryl closed his eyes, resting his head in his hand that wasn't holding the phone. "Me and Beth are at the hospital. She wanted to go for a drive on my bike, I lost control and wrecked."

"She alright?" Hershel asked as Daryl heard Annette's worried voice from the other end. Daryl sighed, shaking his head even though they couldn't see.

"She got twenty stitches and a concussion, I got nine and two broken ribs." He said. "We need ya'll 't check us out so we can leave."

Hershel sighed and Daryl heard shuffling. "We're on our way, be there as soon as we can."

"Alright, thanks ." He said, hanging up the phone and nodding to the nurse in thanks. She gave him a small smile before nodding towards the bed he had been assigned.

"Back to bed , you need to rest." She said. Without another word Daryl turned and laid back down, careful to not put too much pressure on his ribs.

"You okay babe?" Beth asked softly. Daryl shrugged, turning to his head to look at her. She was laying in the bed beside his, the cut on her face stitched up.

"I'll be fine, I'm just worried 'bout you." He said. He had broken his ribs before, actually it was his father who broke them, but he could handle the pain. Knowing that he was the reason why Beth was hurt far worse than his injuries.

Beth smile gently, holding out her hand for him to grab. He couldn't help but smile himself as he held his hand out to grab hers, only to come up short. Huffing, Daryl got out of his bed and squeezed into her bed with her, careful to not bump their IV's.

Beth rested her head on his chest, gripping onto his shirt. "That was so scary." She mumbled and a beat passed before her shoulders shuddered. She cried softly against his chest while he rubbed her back soothingly as he bit his tongue, fighting the urge to cry himself. Dixon's didn't cry.

His resolve broke when she looked up at him with red rimmed eyes and blotchy cheeks. He hid his face from the prying eyes of the nurses and other people in the emergency room by hiding his face in her hair, crying quietly and holding her as tightly as he could.

"I'm so sorry Beth." He whispered, pressing kisses to her head. He only looked up when he heard footsteps approaching the bed, finding Hershel standing beside the bed. "I'm sorry Hershel, it was an accident." Daryl stammered, his voice cracking as he wiped his cheeks with his hand.

The older man chuckled, reaching his hand out and pretending not to notice when Daryl flinched. Hershel set his hand on Daryl's shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "It's alright son, let's just get you home."

Daryl tensed at the thought of having to go home. Not only had he snuck out, he had wrecked the motorcycle and probably racked up a huge hospital bill. Sensing his distress, Annette rested her hand on his arm.

"You can stay at the farm for the night, sleep on the couch. We'll get everything straightened out tomorrow." She assured, squeezing his arm and turning to go to the nurse's station. He exhaled in relief, waiting for the nurse to take out his and Beth's IVs so they could leave.

Once Annette had signed him and Beth out, Hershel led them down to the car. Daryl wrapped his arm around Beth's waist, holding her close as they started driving towards the farmhouse.

"Where's your bike at Daryl?" Hershel asked, glancing at him in the rearview mirror.

"Off near the Kinney's farm, still in the ditch unless the EMT's moved it." The boy answered, his legs fidgeting restlessly. "I'm really sorry Hershel, I didn't mean for all this 't happen."

"Stop apologizing." Beth whispered beside him, taking his free hand and intertwining their fingers, stroking the top of his hand with her thumb.

"She's right, it'll all be okay. You don't need to worry 'bout anythin'." Annette said from the front seat, sending a caring smile over her shoulder.

And for the first time, surrounded by people who cared for him at three in the morning, Daryl thought that maybe, just maybe, things really would be okay.


	8. You're My World

**A/N: Man, I am just a little one shot machine, aren't I? Im sorry if this is insanely medically inaccurate. I am but a lowly sixteen year old who has never given birth, so bear with me. Anyways, hope y'all like this :)**

"You're doin' great , eight centimeters already!" The nurse said cheerfully, seeming to be completely oblivious to the woman writhing in pain on the bed as she pulled off her gloves. "Is there anythin' we can do to make you more comfortable?"

"A drink or a smoke would be great." Kate Dixon muttered, wiping the sweat away from her brow. The nurse gave her a worried look, wringing her hands.

"You didn't smoke or drink during your pregnancy, did you?" She asked nervously. Kate scoffed, rolling her eyes. Stupid child, thinking she would be stupid just because she was married to the town drunk.

"Course not, you think I want my kid to come out a retard?" She barked, crossing her arms over her chest. The nurse paled, shaking her head slowly.

"No ma'am, I apologize." She apologized. "Someone will be around in a few minutes to check you again." She said quickly before darting out of the room. Kate sighed, dropping her head onto the stiff hospital pillow as another contraction hit her. She groaned, gripping the sheets tightly, wishing she had gotten that abortion nine months before. She didn't want to bring another child into the world, not with the life she knew it'd be stuck with. Merle, God bless him, was already a mess at school. He was only twelve and already was getting into fist fights and stealing from the drugstore, only to get home and be praised by her deadbeat husband. It would have been better if she had just gotten that abortion, her baby deserved that more than the shit pile of a life it was going to get.

Just like it had been with Merle, she was having a natural birth. There was no way she could afford all the fancy medicine that numbed the birthing pains. Plus, she was Kathryn Calvin Dixon. She was strong, she had faced worse, she could handle labor.

An hour later, she was fully dilated, and her hospital room was filled with nurses as they prepped for her to give birth. Tears rolled down her cheeks as wave after wave of pain washed over her unrelenting as she fought the urge to push. She had lied to herself, she wasn't sure she could handle labor.

"Do you want us to call your husband ?" The same nurse from before asked her, gingerly wiping her brow with a cloth. Kate bit her cheek, shaking her head as she put her legs up into the stirrups.

"Don't even know where he is, probably at a bar or with another woman." She cried, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand. The nurses gave her sympathetic looks, rubbing her shoulders comfortingly. Kate sniffed, sitting up and grabbing the bars on the side of the bed. "Don't need 'im anyways. I'm ready 't push doc."

The doctor nodded, looking up at her from his position in between her legs. "We're good to go at your next contraction." He confirmed.

Kate took a deep breath, closing her eyes as the familiar pain blossomed in her abdomen. She bared down, every swear word she could think of flying from her lips as she screamed out in pain.

It was a pain-filled blur after that, and Kate was pretty sure she could have made a sailor blush with the words that had come out of her mouth, but in one instant all the pain left her body as a tiny cry filled the room. Nurses swooped in, wiping the squirming thing down, sucking the mucus from it's nose and mouth as it cried loudly in protest.

"2:18 p.m., August sixteenth." The doctor said as a nurse scrawled the information down on a clipboard. "It's a boy, congratulations ."

Kate couldn't help but smile as they set her on his chest. She set her hand on his warm, soft back, rubbing little circles on it. His skin was smooth on hers as she pulled the top of her gown open a few inches, letting him rest on her bare skin. Tears pricked her eyes as she stroked her fingers over the fuzzy hair on his head as his tiny hands clutched at her skin.

"I promise I'll give him back in a minute Mama, just gonna get him cleaned and swaddled for ya." The nurse said softly, gently taking him from her chest. "Do you have a name for him?"

Kate chewed on her lip. She hadn't talked to Will about it any, she didn't think he cared to be honest. She grinned, nodding her head. "Daryl Travis Dixon." She answered. The nurse smiled, finishing up with the swaddle and turning back to Kate.

"Well, you're a handsome one, aren't you Daryl?" The nurse cooed with a small smile as she passed the bundle back to Kate. The new mother smiled, running her index finger over the newborn's cheek.

"He is, isn't he?" She chuckled quietly, lifting him up to her face, pressing a kiss to his forehead as all regret of not having an abortion left her. Looking down at his sweet face, she knew he was the best thing she had ever done.

"You're my world, baby."

Annette Greene was the most blessed woman on the planet, she was convinced. She was young, she had her health, and a beautiful family. What more could a woman want? She had been over the moon when she found discovered she was pregnant, and had immediately told Hershel and her two children. Nine months later, and she was practically glowing as she walked into the maternity ward in a light yellow maternity dress, stroking her stomach as her baby did flips and turns. She was ready to make her appearance in the real world, and Annette was more than ready to meet her little girl too.

"You be good for Nana and Pops, you hear?" She said to Maggie and Shawn, running a hand over Maggie's head. She was the more rambunctious of the two, always getting herself into some sort of mischief.

"Yes ma'am." They said in unison, nodding their heads. Annette smiled, giving them hugs the best she could with her large stomach.

"Good, now give your baby sister a kiss." She chuckled as Maggie stepped forward, putting her little hand on her stomach, pressing a kiss to her belly. Shawn went next, whispering something to the baby before stepping back.

"Are you ready Annie?" Hershel asked, setting a hand on her lower back. Annette turned to him with a smile, nodding her head.

"I've been ready for nine months darlin'." She giggled, taking his hand as a nurse led them to her room.

The room was peaceful as Annette lounged on the bed, focused on her breathing as Hershel rubbed soothing circles in her hand as a contraction hit. She tensed up, rethinking her plan for a natural birth as pain radiated through her tiny frame.

"Just breathe sweetheart, let your body do what it's supposed to." Hershel coached from beside her, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. Annette chuckled breathlessly, squeezing his hand gently.

"I'm tryin' darlin', I'm tryin'." She said as the pain alleviated and she relaxed into the bed. "I just want her to be here now."

"I know, and if she's anythin' like you, she wants to be here too." Hershel chuckled, kissing the top of his wife's hand. "Shouldn't be much longer now, I reckon."

Annette chuckled, resting her hand on her stomach as her little girl kicked her hand softly. "I sure hope so."

Hershel ended up being right, because less than an hour later the little delivery room was buzzing as Annette started pushing. It only took a few pushes for the little girl to be born, entering the world with a loud wail. Annette laughed as she rested her head on her pillow, already knowing that it was typical for her baby to want to make herself known.

"9:54 a.m., April twenty ninth." The doctor announced, beaming up at the new parents. "You two have got a beautiful little girl."

Hershel smiled proudly, stepping forward to cut the umbilical cord while the doctor cleaned Annette up. Once she had received the all-clear, she removed her legs from the stirrups, holding her arms out for her baby.

"Does she have a name Mrs. Greene?" The nurse asked, pulling a pink cap over the girl's head before gently laying her into Annette's arms. She nodded, looking down at her daughter's face for the first time.

"Elizabeth Grace Greene." She announced, smiling down at the newborn. Beth yawned, sticking her little thumb in her mouth as she drifted off to sleep. Annette felt tears prick her eyes as she nuzzled the baby, softly kissing her head and sighing as her heart swelled with love for the infant.

"You're my world, sweetheart."

Daryl was an absolute wreck. He was pacing around the small room, nervously chewing on his fingernails and wishing he could get his hands on a cigarette. He was practically sweating anxiety as he glanced at the bed, shocked to find his wife laying peacefully, running her fingertips over her bare, swollen stomach. How she managed to stay so calm was above him, he was on the verge of a panic attack and he didn't even have to do to the hard part.

"Stop pacin' Daryl, it's upsettin' the baby." Beth giggled, cringing slightly. Daryl was by her side in an instant, brushing stray hairs away from her forehead.

"You alright? Get another contraction? Is somethin' wrong?" He asked in a panic, searching her eyes for any pain. She laughed, throwing her head back as she shook her head.

"No baby, I just touched my belly button on accident. You know I think it's weird." She giggled, looking down at the offending body part. She had been disgusted by it since it had popped out a few weeks before, refusing to even look at it if she could help it. She sighed, shifting aside so he could lay down next to her as she stroked his cheek. "I'm fine Daryl, I promise. We're safe and I feel great, don't be so worried."

"Just worried." He mumbled, laying down beside her. "Don't know what I'd do if I lost ya."

Beth chuckled, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Well you aren't. I've already taken a bullet to the head. If I can live through that, I think I can survive childbirth." She joked.

He rolled his eyes, choosing to not re-live the three awful months he had lived in Alexandria before she showed up at the gates with Morgan, a little worse for wear, but still very very alive. That had been almost two years before, and he would have never guessed the little blonde would end up being his wife and about to deliver their child.

"Yeah, you're pretty damn tough." He agreed, giving her a smile. She smiled back before her face dropped, sucking in a breath as she tensed up.

"Contraction." She whispered, sitting up while clutching her stomach. Daryl rubbed her back, focusing on her tense lower back as he worked a knot out. "Wanna push." She said quietly as she gripped the worn bed sheets in her hands.

"You want me 't get Aubrey after this one?" He asked, thinking of the old midwife that had been waiting in the living room since Beth's water had broken in the middle of the night. Beth nodded, keeping her eyes screwed shut.

Daryl had never felt so helpless as he watched her contractions get closer and closer. Every time she yelled out in pain his chest hurt more and more, hoping that her delivery wouldn't end up like Lori's.

Aubrey and Maggie took over nicely, wiping the sweat from Beth's forehead and rubbing her back as contraction after contraction hit her. He stood helpless in the corner, hating himself for being the reason she was in so much pain. He was the one who got her pregnant, if he had been more careful she wouldn't be writhing in agony and he wouldn't be wondering if she would survive.

"Don't you dare check out on me Daryl Dixon." She muttered, gritting her teeth as Aubrey spreads towels out underneath her. "Not when I need you the most."

He inhaled shakily, taking a tentative step towards the bed as Aubrey gave him a small smile. "I need you to hold her leg, you think you can do that son?" She asked sweetly. Daryl exhaled slowly, nodding as she showed him how to hold her leg before turning to Maggie, who would hold the other leg.

Daryl looked down at Beth, who was still rubbing her stomach gently, her eyes closed as she inhaled and exhaled evenly. Daryl grinned, pressing a kiss to her shin.

"You're doin' great darlin'. Just a bit more and you're gonna be a momma." He encouraged as she opened her eyes, setting her hand on top of his.

"And you're gonna be a daddy." She said, her eyes already hooded with exhaustion. Daryl smiled, squeezing her leg gently. He was going to be a father, and that was almost as scary as the thought of losing Beth.

"Alright Beth, I'm ready when you are hun." Aubrey announced. Beth nodded, looking up at Daryl with an excited smile.

After lots of screaming and colorful words from Beth, the blonde finally drooped against the bed, exhaling loudly in relief. The room was completely silent as Aubrey held up the baby, tutting quietly. Daryl's heart stopped in his chest as Aubrey rubbed it's back, patting gently.

"Come on ya little bug, give me a big 'ole cry." Aubrey muttered, patting the baby's back some more.

Daryl nearly cried with relief when a loud, shrill cry broke through the air as the baby started squirming in protest, it's little fists balled up. Daryl beamed down at Beth, leaning down to kiss her.

"I love you so much." He mumbled against her mouth. Beth chuckled, cupping his cheek as she pulled away.

"I love you too." She smiled, looking down to where Aubrey was wiping the baby off.

"Congratulations, it's a girl." She said with a fond smile. Beth's smile grew, her head lulling to the side to rest against her shoulder.

"We got an Annie Kate." She giggled, pulling him down to kiss her again. He smiled as he stood up straight, turning to where Aubrey had swaddled his daughter. Daryl nervously held his arms out, taking his baby and cradling her gently. She had Beth's nose and mouth with his dark hair and chin and was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Daryl's eyes watered as he rocked her, knowing what the saying 'love at first sight' really meant.

He sat down next to Beth on the bed, letting her hold the baby as he curled into her side. He never thought in a million years that he'd have a family, he never thought he'd love anyone or that anyone would be able to love him.

Words couldn't describe how glad he was that he had been proved wrong.

He was beaming as he laid with his little family, running his rough fingers over Annie Kate's smooth skin. Laying there in that bed, he was able to forget about the evil that was right outside the gates of Alexandria.

"Y'all are my world."


	9. Shower

**A/N: Here's a quick one shot inspired by 5x12. Hope y'all like it! **

They had been in Alexandria for almost a week, and Daryl was still refusing to take a shower. Everyone else had taken full advantage of the running water, spending ungodly amounts of time underneath the warm spray of water, scrubbing away what felt like years of grime, blood, and dirt. If they still had things like water bills, Rick knew theirs would be through the roof after just one week.

Daryl wasn't having it though.

"We've gone nearly three years without all this fancy shit, don't need it. Don't even know how long we got before we're running again." He snorted when Rick tried to convince him to bathe.

"We're gonna be here for as long as we can. They've been here since the beginning, if you ask me, I think we'll be here for a while. Might as well take advantage of it." Rick shrugged, leaving the conversation at that before leaving for his job.

Another week had passed and Daryl had yet to take a shower. Sure, he washed his hands after cleaning a kill and splashed water on his face in the morning, but that had been the extent of his bathing. Carol had tried taking his vest to wash, even leaving out new, clean clothes for him to take. It was useless though, no matter how much she threatened to hose him down or force him into the bathtub, he simply did not care about being clean.

"You stand out like a sore thumb Daryl, we're trying to make good impressions on these people." She sighed as he gutted a rabbit on their porch, leaving a dark red stain on the clean wood. He shrugged, pulling out more entrails.

"I'm a grown ass man, I don't need you tellin' me 't bathe." He muttered, not even looking up at her. "Don't really give a shit about what these people think of me anyways."

Carol could only roll her eyes at her friend. If there was one thing she knew about Daryl Dixon, it was that he wasn't going to do something he didn't want to do. Unfortunately, one of those things was taking a shower.

They had been there three weeks when Aaron entered the front gates, bringing along two new people. They were both exhausted, dirty, and road worn just like them when they had arrived but Daryl could recognize the shiny blonde hair anywhere, even if it was matted with blood and dirt.

Nobody in Alexandria had expected it, seeing the surly and quiet Daryl Dixon slowly make his way to the woman, dropping to his knees in front of her and burying his face in her stomach, holding her close. The woman smiled affectionately, running a hand through his hair as he started crying quietly into her shirt. They had been shocked to say the least.

When the rest of the family had heard the news they had reacted similarly, running to her, shouting her name and pulling her into tight embraces. Daryl had stayed close, like if he went more than a few feet away she would disappear forever.

The night the woman, Beth, and the man she was traveling with, Morgan had returned the family had a big dinner to celebrate. They were still shocked, the last time they had seen Beth they thought she was dead, limp in Daryl's arms with blood trickling onto the hot Georgia asphalt outside of Grady Memorial.

"Grady has a huge trauma ward, Dr. Edwards found me I guess, brought me back and nursed me back to health. They let me go without an issue, I found Morgan while I was hunting one day and we decided to travel together. It only got better when I found out he was looking for you, Rick." Beth had explained as she ate. Like when they had arrived, Daryl was sticking close, sitting so close to her that their thighs were pressed together firmly.

"We're just glad we have you back Bethy." Maggie said, placing a hand on her sister's arm. She was on the other side of Beth, sticking just as close as Daryl. Beth smiled warmly at her sister, leaning her head on her shoulder.

Later that night after half of the group had gone to the other house next door, Rick sat on the couch, Judith cradled in one arm as he attempted to read with the other. Michonne was on the other end, cleaning her katana carefully. It was quiet and peaceful, something Rick thought he'd never have again. When a door behind them shut Rick glanced over his shoulder, finding the bathroom door shut.

"Who was that?" Michonne asked. Rick shrugged, flipping a page in his book.

"Didn't see." He answered as the shower started inside of the bathroom. "Probably Carol."

Michonne nodded in response, turning back to her katana. They fall back into silence for another half hour before Rick sets his book aside, getting up to take Judith to bed. He gives Michonne a nod, letting her know he'll be back. He puts his daughter to bed, kissing her head and checking on Carl in the room beside his before going back to the living room where Michonne is still sitting on the couch.

He stops short of the living room when the bathroom door opens, steam and warm air drifting out as a light giggle leaves the room. Rick stands in shock as Beth and Daryl walk out, their hair wet and faces flushed a light pink. Beth gives him a sheepishly smile as the walks around him, taking Daryl by the hand and leading him up the stairs.

Michonne is watching from her spot on the couch, jaw practically touching the ground. From upstairs they hear a door shut, and only when that happened did Rick speak up.

"Well I'll be damned." He chuckled, an amused smile on his face as he sat back down on the couch. Michonne couldn't help but join him in laughing, the whole situation being something they never thought would happen. Who knew all Daryl needed to get in the shower was a little bit of incentive.


End file.
